This is what 'bottom' feels like

(Park Record) When the recession began changing American commerce and lifestyles in fall 2008, people were hoping to find the bottom. Most economic experts agree Utah and the nation are now there, but it's nothing to celebrate.

The March report from the Utah Department of Workforce Services' senior economist Mark Knold said the state's unemployment rate is now 7.1 percent. In February, there were 2.3 percent (or 27,700) fewer jobs than the year before.

For the first time in several months, Summit County's rate is less than the state average at 7 percent.

The net flow of people into and out of jobs is still negative (more people losing work than finding it) but it is supposed to equalize later this year, he said.

The number of companies hiring temporary workers increased in 2009, which Knold called, "an important step in an economic recovery."

"There is also building evidence that the job market is starting to slowly awake, and that the employer community is beginning to again look for workers with which to expand their business output," he wrote in the report.

Construction was still losing jobs as of last February, but that rate has slowed enough to lose its status as the worst industry to work in. Manufacturing had the worst job losses from Feb. 2009 to Feb. 2010.

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